Peace
by ccferrari
Summary: Takes place directly after the show ends. I'm probably not going to continue, sorry :(


Numb

They slowly walked down the busy hallway, faces blank, and eyes empty of emotion. They walked in silence, oblivious to the shouts and beeping machines that surrounded them. They should be happy; they kept the peace as best anyone could. But it sure as hell didn't feel peaceful. Bombs still went off. People still died. People they loved. It didn't feel peaceful at all. Watching the medics struggle to save Greg was not peaceful. Hearing Clark scream in agony as doctors set his multiple broken bones was not peaceful. Seeing the many bodies of children and innocent people was most definitely not peaceful. Things would never be the same.

"He's coding," Ed heard a paramedic yell as the doors of the ambulanced slammed closed and it sped away. He turned his back to the ambulance; tears welling in his eyes, yet his face blank of expression as he looked at the rest of team one. Almost everyone had tears cascading down their grim faces. Sam was completely covered in debris from his near miss with a bomb. Jules was leaning on him slightly, ignoring the pain commencing from the bandage on her leg where blood was soaking through. At a glance Spike would look fine, but his despondent visage revealed how much strength it was taking not to break down in sobs, it was clear he was thinking about Greg and Donna. Leah stared straight ahead, attempting to mask the pain, but failing miserably as tears fell freely. Ed was afraid to look as himself, terrified at what he would see. He was not tormented after taking out the subject, who had already shot Greg multiple times. He was abnormally happy about this. He was most worried about Clark and Greg, yet unable to move from his feet from where they were firmly planted. After too many moments of silence, Sam noticed Jules's wound bleeding through the bandage hastily created by a medic, and suggested that they go to the hospital. Everyone agreed in a chorus of nods and headed off into their separate vehicles. Sam drove in silence, holding Jules's hand compassionately as she stared out the passenger seat; eyes empty as tears slowly glided down her angular cheeks. He stroked her new wedding ring affectionately, speeding to the hospital.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked quietly, knowing that nobody would be okay for a while. She nodded, sniffling slightly. "And the baby?" he asked as her hand instantly flew to her belly.

"We're both fine," Jules assured him.

Leah and Spike drove in silence, deep in thought. Spike fought the urge to call Winnie and instead stared out the window, observing everything, but not truly seeing anything through his blank eyes. Leah thinks of the safety of her family and is mourning the loss of Donna, even though they weren't close. She sobbed silently at the loss of innocent lives, thinking specifically of the preschool aged boy who lay dead on the concrete at the scene of the first bomb. Ed also drove in silence, overly aware of the empty seat beside him, wishing that Greg was there. He finally allowed the tears that had built up in his eyes to flow freely down his face, the tears almost blinding his vision before he wiped them away, sniffing quietly as he dialed his wife's familiar number.

"Soph," he began, "Clark's at St. Michaels, meet me there," her response was nothing but sobs, "Everything's going to be just fine. I'm almost there, okay? I'll see you soon. Love you," he finished, hanging up as he pulled up into the parking lot behind Sam's SUV. Sam swiftly came to Jules's side of the car and helped her into the hospital, limping. Spike, Leah and Ed joined them beside a reception desk.

"Greg Parker?" Sam asked. The receptionist pointed the team in the direction of a waiting room. Ed lingered behind.

"Clark Lane?" he asked with worry. The receptionist told him the room number and Ed rushed to see his son. As he silently opened the door, his heart almost burst at the sight and sound of his son. He screamed in torment as a doctor and nurse surrounded him. "Clark," Ed said urgently, hurrying to his bedside. The pain in his voice was obvious, agony affecting him. The nurse pushed him back calmly, despite his efforts to reach his son beyond the short nurse.

"Dr. Remming is just setting his broken bones. It's okay but we will need you to wait outside," Ed reluctantly exited the small room and sat in a chair across from the door, resting his bald head in his shaking hands, weeping quietly.

"Jules's grasp on Sam's hand tightened and she gritted her teeth as a doctor stitched up the wound from rebar on her leg. She refused pain medication, and wanted to hurry through this. She cringed and strongly crushed Sam's hand within his own as the doctor pulled the string taught. The doctor finished up and left them to themselves in the small examination room. Jules quickly slipped her ripped, bloody and overall filthy pants back on, wincing as the rough fabric grazed over her fresh stitches. She then around to Sam, who stared into her eyes, too many emotions floating around in them to decipher. They then slowly and simultaneously wrapped their arms around each other's torsos, embracing as more tears welled in their eyes. They stood there silently for a few minutes, not feeling the need to speak, just comforting each other. Sam caressed her hair gently, sending quivers down her spine. He kissed her temple tenderly as they concluded their embrace and exited the room to join Team One in the waiting room. They joined the rest of the team who sat in silence, sitting in grimy and uncomfortable chairs. Everyone sat in silence, not knowing what to do without their sergeant. The shock of today's events began to sink in. A sudden blow of realization hit everyone like a harsh slap in the face. Too many people were dead. The team sat in complete silence for what felt like a century, but in reality were only a few hours. The wedding reception was obviously canceled. Nobody was in a mood for celebration. After an hour and a half, Jules took off her vest and lay down across the chairs, laying her head on Sam's lap. He stroked her hair absentmindedly as she drifted into a restless sleep. Spike eventually went to check on Ed, who called and gave them Clark's room number. Spike cautiously approached Ed and Sophie who were sitting beside Clark's bed.

"Hey," Spike began, sitting down across the bed, "How's he doing?" Sophie sniffled, smiling slightly.

"Hey Spike," she said as Ed nodded.

"He'd gonna be okay," Ed said, still trying to convince himself as he rubs his wife's shoulder. His eyes don't leave Clark's broken body lying in the hospital bed, unconscious. His neck was still in a brace, bandages on his forehead, cast on one arm, and casts on both of his legs. Pain medications were being pumped into his crippled body through an IV. "How's Greg doing?" Ed asks, eyes still glued to his son.

"He's going on the fifth hour of surgery. The docs aren't telling us anything," Spike said with despair. Spike stayed with Ed for a good half hour before the grumbling of his stomach became too disruptive and he excused himself to the hospital cafeteria. He was surprised to fine Winnie sitting at a table with Dean, looking out the window at the crowded, dimly lit parking lot, deep in thought. He sat down next to Winnie, across from Dean, whose eyes were red from crying. They sat in silence for another half hour before returning to the waiting room. Leah was on her phone, reading the news online about the casualty count and the effort to rebuild the city. Sam and Jules have adjusted their positions so that Jules's head leaned on Sam's shoulder, and his head rested on her head. He now noticed the slight bulge of her stomach as she lay intertwined with her new husband, sound asleep. He was surprised by how peaceful they looked even though there was no way they were having good dreams after the occurrences of the past day. Spike, Winnie, and Dean sat beside Leah silently, Dean staring at his feet, trying to withhold tears. It was only a few minutes before a doctor entered the room, blood on his scrubs. Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to the wary man who entered quietly. Sam and Jules awoke and stood nervously, arms still wrapped around each other, terrified of the doctor's verdict.

"Alright," the doctor began, sighing, "Mr. Parker is out of surgery, and we hope he will make a full comeback. But the next few days are crucial in his recovery, and we will be keeping him in the ICU for a week at the very least," he finished as everyone breathed a small sigh of relief at the good prognosis.

"When can we see him?" Dean asked nervously, wiping his face with exhaustion.

"One person can be with him at a time, and for now only next of kin," the doctor said, eying the large group. The doctor subsequently told them the room number and left abruptly at the rude beep of his pager.

"Dean, are you going to spend the night?" Sam asked with concern.

"Yeah, I guess so," he answered as they walked towards the ICU.

"Okay. Well do not hesitate to call if you change your mind," Sam added as they reached the destination and Dean placed his hand on the door.

"See you tomorrow?" Dean asked anxiously.

"Count on it," Jules said as Winnie and Spike hugged him. He nodded slightly and entered the recovery room, drained of energy yet eager to see his father. The team then left the hospital, discouraged that they would not get to see their sergeant. They dropped the black SUV's off back at the headquarters, which was completely empty; every team but one and two were continuing to help the recovery effort. They bid farewell to each other and drove off in different directions, unsure as to how they should be feeling.

"We're married," Jules thought to herself as they drove down a deserted street, four blocks from their townhouse. She was astounded that everything could change so quickly. Their peaceful, joyful, perfect wedding day had rapidly transformed into a nightmare. Everything was abruptly put into perspective. Jules had almost forgotten that she was married, and it seemed petty to worry about a honeymoon or reception while innocent people were dying. Their interwoven fingers parted unwillingly as they stepped out of the car and walked up the front steps, still too shocked to say anything. As soon as they dropped their things inside, Jules fell into Sam's embrace, sobbing quietly yet violently.

"Damn it Sam," she said, looking into his pained eyes, "You scared the hell out of me," she wiped tears from her eyes and punched him lightly. She referred to the brief yet agonizing moments when the team thought he was deceased after he failed to diffuse a bomb.

"I'm so sorry," he said, pulling her in to a tight hug, tears welling in his eyes.

"Sam I- I don't think I could go on without you," she sniffled, looking back up at his wary face, "When I thought you were dead… I just couldn't imagine raising a baby without you. Doing anything without you," she finished, tears dripping from the tip of her nose. He paused a second before responding.

"That's part of the job," he said regretfully, "I couldn't bear to live without you two either," he said, referring to their growing child, his hand gravitating to her stomach.

"I know," she said as they walked up the stairs, hand in hand, "But if you ever scare me like that again," she warned, trailing off as they entered their bedroom.

"I know," he said, kissing her forehead. They quickly stripped down and got in bed, exhausted. They immediately fell asleep; limbs tangled together, nightmares of the day's events flashing through their minds. Although they didn't talk about it, their honeymoon was obviously postponed, if not canceled. They were rudely awoken by the buzz of a cellphone on the bedside table. Sam carefully swiveled to reach his phone. Jules groaned as her eyes opened wearily, desperate for the comfort of his company. His eyes adjusted to the cellphone screen that illuminated the dark room. Jules glanced at the alarm clock on her side of the bed and at the sunlight wafting through the blinds. When he saw that the caller ID said Ed, he answered promptly. "Hey Ed," he said, moving into a sitting position as Jules stroked his back absentmindedly, "How's Clark and the sarge?"

"Clark's doing fine," he said, eying his sleeping son, "They won't let me see Greg yet, but Dean visited me and Clark, and he says he's doing okay," he finished, trying not to stir his wife who was asleep in the chair beside him. Ed was going to pick up Izzy from their neighbor's in the morning. "How are you and Jules doing?" Ed asked, not sure why he felt the need to call.

"We're okay," he said, glancing at his wife, who was staring out the window, deep in thought, her hand on her belly that was barely swelling, "We'll visit you guys as soon as we can. You're not working today are you?" Sam asked with concern as Jules sat up and pushed her bangs out of her face that had creases etched in it from the pillow.

"No," Ed said, much to Sam's relief.

"We'll stop by after shift," Sam finished, knowing that they were still needed and even though the worst part was over, there was more havoc to come. They hung up and Sam turned to Jules, who had a pretty good idea of the conversation after hearing his side. He kissed her hairline as they both stood and got ready for another big day.


End file.
